Left In Lowell

Did you ever, for a minute, think the kerfuffle around LHA was about public health, or any of the touted altruistic motives that were puked up by the Blog of Record?

It was always about UNION BUSTING!
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Scott Brown, 1/2/12:

“You’ve got to check the travel records. I’ve come back and forth (from Washington to Boston) every weekend, almost, for three years, and I see, you know, most of the delegation, and I have never seen Ed on the airplane - ever,” Brown added.

Ever the ready echo, David Nangle ensured that if anything crossed his lips to a reporter, at Lowell’s Democratic Caucus, it would be negative.

Democratic Lowell state Rep. David Nangle agreed. Nangle, who supports Lynch, said one of the South Boston candidate’s strengths in the Merrimack Valley is his blue-collar roots.

“He’s so well known in his home community because he’s always there,” said Nangle.

Click the link I provided, please. Read the quotes our very own Paul Sweeney provided. He gives us some hearfelt testimony on why he supports Markey. I know it’s heartfelt because Paul has said very similar things to me, directly, since Markey’s interest in the vacated seat became public. Paul’s support contrasts starkly against the manufactured smear campaign that Scott Brown’s flacks jotted on a yellow sticky for their patron. Now, Steve Lynch’s ‘man-about-town,’ Dave Nangle, is regurgitating that smear.

The Lynch folks better put Tipa Golden up front, in Lowell, before Nangle screws it up even more.

I took some phone video (as best I could) of Ed Markey tonight, who was in Lowell. I didn’t catch the very beginning but got most of it. Posting it as is (I haven’t checked it for audio levels and such). So if you missed Ed Markey tonight you can listen to his speech. It was very well received by the crowd tonight at The Old Court.

The blog of the Blog of Record:

LOWELL TOOK center stage at times in last year’s Senate race between Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown, with prominent city figures offering endorsements and frequent visits by each candidate, including a debate at the Tsongas Center. Now, with a special Senate election under way, the Mill City is poised to host a tug-of-war for voters yet again.

A “Lowell for Ed Markey” Facebook page was launched in late January, before John Kerry’s confirmation as secretary of state. Posts on the page show volunteers supporting the U.S. congressman’s bid for the seat vacated by Kerry have been at work here for almost a month, gathering signatures in Lowell and Chelmsford. Last week, the Markey campaign followed up with a corresponding Twitter account.

Markey’s opponent in the Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, has called for Lowell to be the site of one of six public debates. Lynch has also won the backing of Lowell state Rep. Thomas Golden and former state Sen. Steven Panagiotakos. Lynch also hopes to win over Sen. Eileen Donoghue and lawyer Michael Gallagher.

No one on the GOP side appears to have made moves in Lowell just yet, but if the pattern continues, it could just be a matter of time before another future senator follows Warren’s footsteps into the ring at West End Gym to record a campaign spot.
(bold mine)

At one time, Campi used to frequent the JMac & the Bear Show. What happened? Someone should tell the Blogger in Chief that John MacDonald has renounced his party affiliation, so that he can parlez with the business/political power clout of Lowell’s ConservaDem clique. JMac is flogging what some would call, the “Anthes Prerogative.” (more…)

“Be careful,” she said smugly, as she sauntered off.

This is a true story. The names are witheld, because it is a learning moment.

Tonight, a buddy of mine scored some tix to the UML v. UMASS hockey game. Good seats, center ice with access to the Pavilion. When we got to the Tsongas, my crew breezed into the blue collar swank of Martyville. It stank of Old Spice and the ladies had their second generation Acre Doos neatly sprayed in place. I have no sales pitch. I ain’t running for anything, so I broke from my gaggle and beelined out the other side. My seat was in the middle of a row, so I plopped in an open end seat and enjoyed the First Period.

With 3 minutes left, the Riverhawks were floundering on the Power Play, so I headed to the can and back to the Pavilion. I may dub it the Hawk Nest. That may never catch on, but you’d be surprised how some of my blog speak has stuck in the Bubble vernacular. I buy myself and the guy that got me in, each a Winter Lager, then got my chat on. Yada Yada … The Lowell Memorial Auditorium … Board of Trustees … Mike Dinneen .. it’s all good. What’s up for the City election? Yada Yada.

There is a table eye balling me. Whatevs. They looked like Brahmin from The Belvidere.

I see one of the City Councilors, then two. One Councilor has the sweetest lady of a wife. So, I stood nearby to offer a quick peck on the cheek and a friendly, “Hello.” She is the best. The circle sort of closed in and I stuck around to chat about the upgrades to the joint. How I had seen the Talking Heads in the Tully Forum. Yada Yada. Pleasant stuff. No politics, that I could discern. Councilors deserve some down time. My crew had headed to their seats.

It was literally, just at about the moment when I was about to make a break for it, offer a jovial, “I’ll let you enjoy the rest of the game … ,” when some strange woman approached me. I got some odd introductory, Belvidere version of Travis Bickle. I was confused, by this. But, then the City Councilors started to say say,”Hi” to this woman. I figured out what I had on my hands.

Let me say this, I respect that she had enough clan loyalty to approach me and make an effort to put me back on my heels. At this point, the Councilors were peeling away. I don’t blame them. These things are sticky. So, it’s me and her. It was civil. At first, I was very subdued. I took the lashing. Mostly because I don’t know how much she actually knows and how much she has been told by others. However, she opted to over emphasize her point and I was more firm. Public people on the public payroll are fair game. Period.

“You don’t know my family,” was a common utterance for the several minutes we mingled. As I think about it here, in the quite of the lamplight, I know she is correct. All of what I know is third party. Some is gossip, but more is printed in the Blog of Record. My tendency is to print the stuff that is verifiable. But, I’ll admit that the gossip colors my perspective, especially, gossip from several credible sources.

The whole episode took minutes. And, as it occured, I was shrunken a bit by the cockiness of a woman that doesn’t weigh a 140lbs, dripping wet. For some reason, maybe because I am aware of my physical size and bearing, I normally shrink when small people get pissy with me. I was genuinely feeling her disgust for me. I was trying to process it. That anger. That violation. That trespass. This was a woman that I would certainly dowse via Fire Marshall approved methods, should I notice any flames emanating from her proximity. She stood her ground. She squared off. I do respect that.

“Be careful,” she said smugly, as she sauntered off.

That bit was sketchy and I bristled. By now, I was an island. My crew was watching the game, 400 feet away. The Councilors had hightailed the scene of the crash and I knew it would have been imposing to cozy up to them, looking for affirmation. I was an island, floating in a sea of Old Spice & hair spray vapors. I was, in that moment, the proverbial ‘Leper,’ Paul Belley had warned me about. That moment sucked.

“Be careful,” she said smugly, as she sauntered off.

I sauntered off, through the guarded entry, into the crowd of common folks, enthralled by the spirit of sport. Game on!

They are praying Scott Brown stays out of this Senate Special Election.

Frankly, it is HARD to cross party lines. No one on either side really quite trusts you. Of course, on the local level, both Rita and Dave have solid support. Mostly, because they are fairly down to earth people, that are willing to ply their skill at the ‘grip and grin’ at street level. Both are unpretentious and folksy. Almost adorable in quirky ways. (Unless you rub them the wrong way.) But, political sophistication is not their calling card. So, in the 2012 General Election, their individual choice to support Republican Scott Brown has assuredly caused them grief in ways that they had not accounted for. Note: Brown did well in the Belvidere section of Lowell. So, niether Rita or Nangle have much to sweat over, come their own respective reelections. That said, Rita will take it hard if she doesn’t finish 1st.

For both of them, the best thing that Scott Brown can do for them, … is to sit this special election cycle out. Good news for them is, it’s looking like he may:

With time running short, Washington Republicans have begun a “full court press’’ to persuade an increasingly reluctant Scott Brown to run in the special election to replace John F. Kerry, say two leading Massachusetts GOP figures.

The eleventh-hour effort, coordinated by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, comes as those familiar with Brown’s deliberations are becoming convinced that he will not run and instead will look for a job in the private sector.

Please consider how much of a pickle, especially Dave Nangle, is in right now. The MADems would be hard pressed to sweep another endorsement of Brown under the rug. For Rita, much less so, but Nangle put his personal friendship to Brown as the hallmark to his endorsement. Even though many in Dave Nangle’s crew are inclined to support Congressman Stephen Lynch, with every fiber of their ‘Blue Dog’ beings, Nangle can not simply annul his endorsement of Brown out of political convenience. Friendship has to MEAN something. Nangle’s entire political existence is, all but, built on personal fidelity.

If Scott Brown bails, this will allow Nangle, and Rita, to slip back into the fold. There will be some ribbing, but pols love to win elections. As do the staff that support them. Few will argue that Mercier and Nangle don’t offer some electoral boost. If not city-wide, definitely in The Belvidere.

UPDATE: Brown won’t run, for now.

“… I was not at all certain that a third Senate campaign in less than four years, and the prospect of returning to a Congress even more partisan than the one I left, was really the best way for me to continue in public service at this time. And I know it’s not the only way for me to advance the ideals and causes that matter most to me.

“That is why I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for the United States Senate in the upcoming special election.”

Crossposted from BlueMassGroup:

I thought better of it, and came to the conclusion to write such a comment would be taking a giant squat on Dan’s effort to promote Lynch. Thus, tantamount to ‘hijacking.’ As we endeavor to play nice, this Primary season, I chose to take my observation and remarks away from Dan’s work, placing it here, to stand on it’s own.

Please note the closing frame of the recently debuted Lynch ad, as seen on Youtube:

Dick Howe and Marie Sweeney are hosting an informational meeting on Ed Markey Tuesday night, at the Pollard Library first floor at 7pm. The purpose is to:

learn about Ed Markey’s background, position on the issues, and voting record in Congress. We will also discuss the likely timetable for the special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat now held by John Kerry.

First, I have to say, way to jump in there Markey people - that’s being on the ball. Second, it’s a huge plus in Markey’s favor that Dick Howe is already on that bandwagon. I respect and admire Dick a lot on matters both issue-oriented and on electoral horserace stuff. He doesn’t always pick a favorite in a Democratic primary (and it does appear we’ll have one) so I feel that’s actually somewhat significant.

He also says:

Ed Markey has represented Massachusetts in Congress since 1976. He has a long and distinguished record but few outside his Congressional District, which is centered in his home town of Malden, know him very well. I’ve studied Ed Markey’s record very closely and I like what I see. I will be enthusiastically supporting him in this race. As I’ve talked about his candidacy, many people in Greater Lowell have told me they would like to know more about him. That’s the purpose of this meeting. Even if you’re on the fence, please join us and listen to what we have to say. There’s no commitment and everyone is invited.

If you are interested in the campaign, please go to the “Lowell for Ed Markey” page on Facebook and “like” us. That’s the best way to get information and to follow events. If you want to communicate with me directly, send an email to DickHoweJr[at]gmail.com. Thanks, and I hope to see you Tuesday night.

I’ll probably see folks there, if my other project (and the reason that Jack and I have been a bit too busy to post a lot lately) is finished and ready to launch. Yeah, that’s right, pay attention to this space later on this week, we have a really cool announcement!

It’s sorta official:

US Representative Stephen F. Lynch plans to announce next week that he will challenge his congressional colleague Edward J. Markey for the Democratic nomination in the special US Senate election to fill John F. Kerry’s seat, according to people with direct knowledge of his decision.

Lynch is set to unveil his run within several days after Kerry’s expected confirmation as President Obama’s secretary of state, those people said.

The problem for Lynch, imho, is that he’ll have to campaign by lugging around a cardboard cutout of Scott Brown with him. At most events, Lynch will have to strike a pose with his arm around it. This puts Steve Lynch in a tough spot. He can’t run against ‘Scott Brown,’ as many conservaDems & right leaning Unenrolleds identify with what Brown pretended to stand for. But, Lynch can’t openly embrace ‘Brown,’ either.

Ed Markey will run inside the Dem’s base, carefully articulating his progressive record.

If Lynch wins the primary, he will have the sharper pivot. Lynch’s ‘Goldilocks Zone‘ will be much harder for his consultants to craft and damn near impossible for Lynch to stay in. The media will dog his ass, enthralled as he wobbles, maintaining his delicate fence straddling balance.

One thing for sure, the party at Lenzi’s will be amaaaaaazing!

Update: Who is Lynch meeting with in Lowell?

Lynch spoke to the Reporter on his way up to the Dorchester offices of SEIU 1199, the healthcare workers union. “One of the news outlets said I had announced, and I had a date and I had an event planned and all this stuff, and that was totally premature. We’re still – obviously I’m here to talk with the SEIU, I just left the plumbers’ union hall,” Lynch said. “I’ve got some people that I’ve got to talk to up in Lowell and Haverhill tomorrow. So we’re still, we’re still, you know, doing the outreach that we need to do to measure our support, to make sure that if we get into this thing, that we can run a good strong campaign.”

Update: Maria Sheehy’s landing at UML was soft.

Sheehy will be assistant to the provost for faculty affairs and compliance, a new job. According to a job description provided by the university, Sheehy will provide “advice and counsel” to various provosts, vice provosts and deans on collective bargaining and other personnel matters.

The chattering sage spurred the Bubblenistas to wonder:

The other dynamic to watch in the council race is the potential of two young professionals, one male and one female, running. I had a pretty strong indication that both are poised for a campaign this fall. …

I had some ideas of my own, as to who Wallace was referring to. But, Gerry Nutter sniffed out some leads and offered two names:

It didn’t take long for people to start to speculate who he was talking about. Two names that have floated to the top of the bubble are:

Marie Sheehy who has worked part-time for the City Law dept. for many years

Former Acting City Clerk Brian Leahy who also at one time worked for the City Law dept.

A retort to Gerry’s speculation was quickly blurted out on The Blog of The Blog of Record.

Longtime Assistant City Solicitor Maria Sheehy’s last day working for the city was this past Friday, but The Column Blog has learned she is expected to land on her feet in the near future, possibly at UMass Lowell, in a role that would, of course, enable her to use her legal prowess.

Sheehy, who would not confirm her next destination, said Monday she is moving on after 15 years with the city because she is looking for a job that presents her with the opportunity to learn new things.

“I’m really hungry for new challenges,” said Sheehy, the daughter of former Lowell city manager and state senator Paul Sheehy. Sheehy, 46, is also seeking a full-time job.
-snip

If no one has an objection, I think I’ll venture a guess: With Gerry Leone bowing out, Maria Sheehy is mulling over a run for Middlesex DA.
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